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The femur is the longest, heaviest, and strongest human bone. It is the only bone in the thigh and is also known as the thighbone. The femur serves as an attachment point for muscles that exert their force over the hip and knee joints. The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint, with the top of the femur fitting into a socket in the pelvis. The bottom of the femur connects to the tibia (shinbone) and patella (kneecap) to form the knee. The thigh muscles are divided into the anterior, medial, and posterior compartments, with the femur sitting within the anterior compartment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Femur definition | Upper bone of the leg or hind leg |
| Femur in humans | Long, slender, and relatively delicate |
| Femur in great apes | Shorter, more curved, and more robust |
| Femur in arthropods | Name refers to the most proximal of the two longest jointed segments of the legs |
| Femur length | Most adult femurs are around 18 inches long |
| Femur strength | Strongest human bone, can support 30 times the weight of the body |
| Femur shape | Cylindrical with two round bumps at each end |
| Femur location | Femur is the only bone in the thigh |
| Femur compartments | Anterior, medial, and posterior |
| Femur muscles | 23 individual muscles either originate from or insert onto the femur |
| Femur blood supply | Femoral artery |
| Femur nerve supply | Femoral nerve |
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What You'll Learn
The femur is the upper bone of the leg or hind leg
The femur is the longest, heaviest, and strongest bone in the human body. It is the only bone in the thigh and is also referred to as the thighbone. In many four-legged animals, the femur is the upper bone of the hind leg.
The femur is composed of several parts, including the proximal end, the shaft, and the distal end. The proximal end of the femur connects to the hip joint and contains the neck, head, and greater and lesser trochanters. The neck of the femur connects the shaft and head at a 125-degree angle, which is efficient for walking. The shaft is the long, cylindrical portion of the femur that supports body weight and forms the structure of the thigh. The distal end of the femur forms the top of the knee joint, connecting to the tibia (shinbone) and patella (kneecap).
The femur serves as an attachment point for muscles that act on the hip and knee joints. In total, 23 individual muscles either originate from or insert onto the femur. The gluteus medius and minimus muscles attach to a prominence of the femur at the outside top of the thigh. The linea aspera, a prominent longitudinal ridge of bone on the femur, provides attachment sites for various muscles. The medial and lateral condyles at the distal end of the femur provide attachment sites for the collateral ligaments.
The femur is susceptible to various conditions, including fractures, osteoporosis, and patellofemoral pain syndrome. Due to its strength, femur fractures typically result from serious injuries such as car accidents or falls. Patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner's or jumper's knee, causes pain around and under the kneecap and can be caused by overuse or changes in footwear.
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The femur is the longest, heaviest, and strongest human bone
The femur, also known as the thigh bone, is the longest, heaviest, and strongest human bone. It is the only bone in the upper portion of the leg and is surrounded by thigh muscles, including the hamstrings and quadriceps. The femur has two rounded ends and a long shaft in the middle, resembling the classic bone shape often depicted in cartoons. The shaft, also known as the femoral shaft, is the long portion of the femur that supports the body weight and forms the structure of the thigh. It is about 1.5 inches thick and has a rounded shape on both ends. The shaft is also the site of attachment for various muscles, including the gluteus medius and minimus.
The upper (proximal) end of the femur connects to the hip joint, forming a ball-and-socket joint with the hip (at the acetabulum). The neck of the femur connects the shaft and head at a 125-degree angle, which is efficient for walking. The lower (distal) end of the femur forms the top of the knee joint, meeting with the tibia (shin) and patella (kneecap). The distal end of the femur also features two large prominences, or condyles, that form the upper half of the knee joint.
The femur is the largest bone in the human body, typically reaching around 18 inches in length in adults. It is also the strongest bone, capable of supporting up to 30 times the weight of the body. Due to its strength, the femur is difficult to break, and fractures usually occur only as a result of serious traumas like car accidents or falls. However, weakened bones due to osteoporosis can increase the risk of fractures.
The femur plays a critical role in maintaining posture and balance, as well as enabling movement. It connects important muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the hips and knees to other parts of the body, including the circulatory system. The bone also contains bone marrow, a soft, fatty tissue composed of stem cells that can develop into other types of cells. Overall, the femur is a crucial bone in the human body, providing structural support and facilitating various bodily functions.
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The neck of the femur connects the shaft and head at a 125-degree angle
The femur is the longest, heaviest, and strongest bone in the human body. It is the upper bone of the leg or hind leg. The femur acts as the site of origin and attachment of many muscles and ligaments. The bone can be divided into three parts: the proximal, shaft, and distal. The proximal femur is composed of the head, neck, greater trochanter, and lesser trochanter. The head of the femur articulates with the hip at the acetabulum, forming a ball-and-socket joint. The neck of the femur connects the shaft and head at a 125-degree angle, which is efficient for walking. This angle is known as the inclination angle and is larger in infants, decreasing with age. The ideal angle between the inferior margin of the femoral neck and the medial surface of the femoral shaft should be between 120 and 130 degrees. This angle ensures that the weight of the upper body passes along the mechanical axis of the femur.
The neck of the femur is angled superomedially to fit into the acetabulum. The neck itself is anteverted, or rotated laterally, at a variable angle between 10 and 15 degrees. The superior margin of the femoral neck is nearly horizontal, with a concavity closest to the junction with the greater trochanter. The inferior margin is more oblique and projects posteroinferiorly and laterally toward the lesser trochanter. The neck is about 5 cm long and can be subdivided into three regions: the basicervical portion, the midcervical part, and the subcapital portion. The base of the femoral neck is the widest part of the neck of the femur, while the middle segment is the narrowest.
The femoral shaft is almost cylindrical, being slightly broader superiorly and slightly arched. It is convex anteriorly and concave posteriorly, with a prominent longitudinal ridge of bone called the linea aspera. The linea aspera is an important landmark, as it provides attachment sites for various muscles. The shaft of the femur descends in a slight medial direction, bringing the knees closer to the body's centre of gravity and increasing stability.
The distal end of the femur is characterised by the presence of medial and lateral condyles, which articulate with the tibia and patella to form the knee joint. The lateral condyle is more prominent and helps prevent the natural lateral movement of the patella. The medial and lateral collateral ligaments of the knee originate from their respective epicondyles. The distal fragment is typically pulled upwards and rotated laterally in neck of femur fractures, resulting in a shortened and externally rotated lower limb.
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The femur is the only bone in the thigh
The femur serves as an attachment point for all the muscles that exert force over the hip and knee joints. A variety of muscles have their origins at and insert into the femoral shaft, with the exception of the gluteus maximus and vastus intermedius, which interact with the posterior surface of the bone. The femur also provides attachment points for the collateral ligaments and tendons of the sartorius and gracilis muscles.
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint formed by the femoral head articulating with the acetabulum of the pelvis. The neck of the femur connects the shaft and head at an angle of approximately 125 degrees in humans, which is efficient for walking. The femoral head is held in place by the ligamentum teres femoris and other strong surrounding ligaments.
The shaft of the femur is the long portion that supports the body's weight. It is slightly arched, giving it a convexity anteriorly and a concavity posteriorly. The posterior surface of the shaft is more rugged to facilitate the attachment of large muscles of the thigh. The shaft is also strengthened by the linea aspera, a prominent longitudinal ridge of bone.
The distal end of the femur has two condyles, the lateral and medial condyles, which form the upper half of the knee joint. The lateral condyle is larger and more prominent than the medial condyle and serves as an attachment site for the lateral collateral ligament. The medial condyle is associated with a small conical protuberance called the adductor tubercle, which provides an attachment point for the adductor magnus muscle.
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The femur is the largest bone in the human body
The femur is the longest, largest, and strongest bone in the human body. It is also the only bone in the thigh region of the lower limb, between the hip and the knee. The femur is a crucial part of human anatomy, enabling humans to stand, move, and maintain balance.
The femur is a long bone, consisting of a diaphysis (or shaft/body) and two epiphyses (extremities) that articulate with the hip and knee bones. The femur sits within the anterior compartment of the thigh, which is composed of hip flexors and knee extensors. The hip flexors include the pectineus, iliopsoas, and sartorius muscles. The femur also contains bone marrow, a soft fatty tissue made up of stem cells.
The femur's shaft is the long portion that supports body weight and forms the structure of the thigh. The shaft is almost cylindrical, being slightly broader superiorly and slightly arched, giving it a convexity anteriorly and a concavity posteriorly. The shaft is strengthened by a pillar of bone called the linea aspera, which also serves as an attachment site for various muscles.
The proximal extremity of the femur, closest to the torso, contains the head, neck, and two trochanters. The head of the femur forms a ball-and-socket joint with the hip (acetabulum of the pelvis), being held in place by ligaments. The neck of the femur connects the shaft and head at a 125-degree angle in humans, which is efficient for walking.
The distal end of the femur forms the top of the knee joint, articulating with the tibia (shin) and patella (kneecap). The femur's role in the knee joint is crucial, and issues with the femur can lead to patellofemoral pain syndrome, a common condition causing pain around the kneecap.
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Frequently asked questions
The femur is the only bone in the thigh and is the longest bone in the human body.
The femur serves as an attachment point for all the muscles that exert their force over the hip and knee joints. 23 individual muscles either originate from or attach onto the femur. Some of these muscles include the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and piriformis.
The femur acts as the site of origin and attachment of many muscles and ligaments. It can be divided into three parts: proximal, shaft, and distal. The proximal aspect of the femur articulates with the acetabulum of the pelvis to form the hip joint.
